December 2011
Complete
Streets
in Delaware: A Guide
for Local Governments
written by
Marcia S. Scott, Associate Policy Scientist
Claire M. Beck, Graduate Research Assistant
Brandon Rabidou, Graduate Research Assistant
prepared for
Delaware Department of Transporation
This work was sponsored and funded by the Delaware Department of
Transportation (DelDOT). The contents of this report reflect the views of
the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of research.
The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view of DelDOT.
prepared by
Institute for Public Administration
School of Public Policy & Administration
College of Arts & Sciences
University of Delaware
www.ipa.udel.edu
serving the public good, shaping tomorrow’s leaders
December 2011
Complete Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments
Preface
In today’s car-dominated society, many people live in communities that lack accessibility,
connectivity, well-maintained pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and accessible public
transportation. To address this issue, a national movement to “complete the streets” is
gaining momentum at the state and local levels. Delaware officially joined this initiative
with an executive order signed by Governor Jack Markell in April 2009 to create a Complete
Streets Policy. The Policy, implemented by DelDOT in December 2009, ensures that new and
modified roads are routinely planned, designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to
allow safe access by all users.
Delaware’s Complete Streets Policy will result in a comprehensive, integrated, connected,
safe, and multimodal transportation network with a variety of transportation options. While
DelDOT is designing and constructing streets with all users in mind, Delaware local
governments have authority for local land-use plans and policies, which may in discord with
state policy. Local government officials can support Delaware’s Complete Streets Policy by
developing land-use plans and policies to provide more balanced transportation systems and
create healthier, active communities.
As the Director of the Institute for Public Administration, I am pleased to provide this
publication—Complete Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments. The document is intended to help Delaware towns, cities, and counties achieve complete streets by evaluating
the extent to which their community vision, plans, policies, design standards, and facility
maintenance practices are consistent with complete-streets principles, and:
• Create safe and inviting road networks for all users.
• Transform a vision for complete streets into plans, policies, design standards, and
maintenance practices.
• Ensure that transportation facilities are constructed and maintained to ADA standards.
• Visualize how to balance the needs of all roadways users and transform existing roadways
to complete streets.
I hope this resource will inspire Delaware local governments to incorporate complete-streets
principles and concepts within comprehensive plans and policies—i.e., subdivision, unified
development, and zoning codes. Local land-use and policy decisions, which are aligned with
the state’s Complete Streets Policy, will result in communities that are more accessible,
livable, and multimodal for Delaware residents and visitors.
Jerome R. Lewis, Ph.D.
Director, Institute for Public Administration
i
December 2011
Complete Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments
Acknowledgements
The University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA) prepared Complete
Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments. IPA is a public service unit within the
College of Arts & Sciences’ School of Public Policy & Administration.
To meet the needs of local governments, IPA offers training programs, technical assistance,
and resources for Delaware local government public officials. One resource is IPA’s online
Toolkit for a Healthy Delaware: Bringing Communities and Health Together. A Complete
Streets section of the Toolkit was added in July 2011. This section provides an overview of
complete-streets principles, benefits of complete streets, the State of Delaware’s Complete Streets
Policy, Delaware local government complete-streets implementation strategies, information
on technical and funding assistance, and before-and-after complete-streets visualizations.
This resource may be viewed online (www.ipa.udel.edu/healthyDEtoolkit/completestreets).
Funding from the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) made this research
possible. IPA acknowledges the professionals, scholars, and colleagues, who supported the
research and the “Planning Complete Streets” (Planning 209) workshop held on June 9, 2011.
Institute for Public Administration
Principal Investigator and Project Manager
Marcia S. Scott, Associate Policy Scientist
Authors
Marcia S. Scott, Associate Policy Scientist
Claire M. Beck, Graduate Research Assistant
Brandon Rabidou, Graduate Research Assistant
Technical Assistance and Editorial Review
Mark Deshon, Assistant Policy Scientist
Nicole Frost, Undergraduate Public Administration Fellow
Delaware Department of Transportation
Ralph Reeb, Assistant Director, Division of Planning
Roberta Geier, Assistant Statewide & Regional Planning Director
Anthony Aglio, Statewide Bicycle Coordinator
Marco Boyce, RLA, Planning Supervisor
Delaware Center for Transportation T2 Center
Matheu J. Carter, PE, Municipal Engineering Circuit Rider
Nemours Health and Prevention Services
Patti Miller, Senior Policy Analyst
ii
December 2011
Complete Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments
Table of Contents
Section
page
Executive Summary
1
1. Why Complete Streets?
5
1-1. Problem Statement
7
1-2. Consequences of an Unbalanced Transportation System
7
2. What Are Complete Streets?
13
2-1. Definition of Complete Streets
15
2-2. Complete Streets as One Approach to Community Livability
17
3. What Are the Benefits of Complete Streets?
19
3-1. Safety
21
3-2. Health
22
3-3. Environment
23
3-4. Smart Mobility
23
3-5. Inclusive Physical Environments
24
3-6. Walkability and Economic Vitality
25
3-7. Responds to Housing Market Preferences
26
4. What Are Characteristics of Complete Streets?
29
4-1. Complete Streets Are Flexible
31
4-2. Complete Streets Are Accessible
32
4-3. Complete Streets Provide Multimodal Transportation Options
34
4-4. Complete Streets Are Vibrant Centers of Activity
34
4-5. Complete Streets Have Common Features and Design Elements
35
4-6. Summary
44
5. What Is the History of Complete Streets?
45
5-1. National Complete Streets Movement
47
5-2. Federal Role in Completing the Streets
48
5-3. State Leadership Role in Complete Streets
50
5-4. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Complete Streets
51
5-5. Local Governments and Complete Streets
52
iii
Complete Streets in Delaware: A Guide for Local Governments
Table of Contents
December 2011
(continued)
Section
page
6. What Is Delaware’s Complete Streets Policy?
55
6-1. History
57
6-2. Delaware’s Complete Streets Policy
59
6-3. Walkable, Bikeable Delaware
62
6-4. Funding Assistance for Complete-Streets Projects
64
7. How Can Delaware Local Governments Implement Complete Streets?
67
7-1. Community Vision
70
7-2. Local Government Plans
71
7-3. Local Government Policies
76
7-4. Design Standards
80
7-5. Facility Maintenance
83
8. How Are Delaware Local Governments Progressing Toward Complete
Streets?
89
8-1. Delaware Local Government Support of State Policy
91
8-2. Delaware Local Government Comprehensive Plans and Complete Communities
91
8-3. DelDOT Standards Provide Guidance for Local Government CompleteStreets Policies
105
8-4. Delaware Local Government Policies and Complete Streets
108
9. How Can Delaware Local Governments Learn More About Complete
Streets?
121
9-1. IPA’s Professional Development and Training for Local Governments
123
9-2. IPA’s Toolkit for a Healthy Delaware
123
9-3. Complete-Streets Section of Toolkit for a Healthy Delaware
125
9-4. Before-and-After Visualizations
126
Appendices
137
iv